Sissel Bread Essentials
קימלברויט·(kiml-broyt)
Quick Deli Lunches (American Suburbs)
There is no true Jewish-American deli sandwich without Sissel bread, 'sissel' being the old bakery shorthand for caraway seed. Back in the motherland, bakers babysat a bubbling rye sour for days to give the loaf its famous tang and keep the tricky grain from turning gummy. For a first-generation American with a day job, nobody has time for that on a Tuesday. The suburban grandma secret is pouring leftover kosher dill pickle brine straight into the dough, an instant hack that neutralizes the rye enzymes, builds the acid profile of a three-day sourdough, and infuses the loaf with the unmistakable garlic-and-dill echoes of a classic deli.
Before you start
Bring the pickle juice to room temperature.
Cold brine straight from the fridge will shock the yeast and dramatically slow your dough's rise.
Ingredients
- water1 cup
- kosher dill pickle juice1/2 cup
- neutral oil2 tbsp
- instant yeast1 tbsp
- dark molasses1 tbsp
- dark rye flour1 1/2 cup
- bread flour3 cup
- whole caraway seeds2 tbsp
- instant potato flakes2 tbsp
- kosher salt1 1/2 tsp
- egg white1 large
- whole caraway seeds1 tsp
- yellow cornmeal2 tbsp
Method
- 01
Mix the base to hydrate the rye.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk the warm water, pickle juice, oil, yeast, and molasses, then stir in the rye flour, potato flakes, and the 2 tablespoons of caraway seeds into a thick, muddy paste and let sit for 15 minutes.
- 02
Knead in the bread flour to build gluten structure.
Attach a dough hook, turn the mixer to low, and gradually add the bread flour and salt until a shaggy dough forms, then increase to medium and knead for 6 to 8 minutes until it clears the bowl but stays slightly tacky.
- 03
Proof the dough until doubled in size.
Scrape the dough out, form it into a smooth ball, and place it in a lightly oiled bowl covered with a damp towel to rise in a warm spot for 1 to 1.5 hours.
- 04
Shape the dough into a traditional deli loaf.
Gently deflate the dough, turn it out onto the counter, and shape it into a thick 9-inch oval log.
- 05
Proof the shaped loaf on a cornmeal-dusted pan.
Transfer the log to a baking sheet generously sprinkled with cornmeal, cover loosely, and let rise for 45 to 60 minutes until visibly puffy.
- 06
Prepare the oven for steam baking.
Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C) and place an empty cast-iron skillet or metal pan on the absolute bottom rack to get blazing hot.
- 07
Glaze, seed, and slash the loaf.
Brush the proofed bread entirely with the egg white wash, sprinkle with the remaining 1 teaspoon of caraway seeds, and make three to four half-inch deep diagonal slashes across the top with a sharp knife or razor.
- 08
Bake with steam to develop a chewy, glossy crust.
Place the baking sheet on the middle rack, immediately pour 1 cup of cold water into the hot skillet below, quickly shut the oven door, and bake for 35 to 40 minutes until the loaf is deep mahogany brown.
- 09
Cool completely before slicing.
Transfer the bread to a wire rack and wait at least two hours before cutting into it.
Notes
Do not slice the bread while it is hot.
Rye continues to cook internally as it cools on the rack. Slicing it hot will permanently ruin the crumb, turning it into a gummy paste.
Expect a sticky dough.
Rye flour absorbs heavy amounts of water and acts a bit like wet cement. Trust the process and rely on the bread flour's heavy-duty gluten structure rather than adding excess flour, which would yield a dense brick.
The pickle juice trick.
The acidity of the brine neutralizes tricky rye amylase enzymes that would otherwise degrade the starches during baking, perfectly mimicking the pH drop of a three-day sourdough starter.